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April 2013 posts

The Swedish Cancer Institute has community partnerships with several local and national organizations that strive to promote education, hope and healing to newly diagnosed patients with cancer. Specifically, two local organizations have partnered with Swedish Cancer Institute in a unique way, offering moments of inspiration and comfort in times of distress. Northwest Hope & Healing and Thrive Through Cancer are two local non-profit organizations focused on offering assistance and support to those newly diagnosed with cancer and aim to empower and connect community members with resources needed to flourish....

On Sunday April 7, several Swedish physicians participated in Jefferson Healthcare's Runner's Symposium in Port Townsend for the upcoming Rhody Run. Over 300 runners attended the event. Dr. Erik Brand gave a lecture on core strength in runners, Dr. Jeff Moo gave a lecture on the physiological benefits of running and aerobic exercise, and lastly I gave a lecture on sports nutrition for marathon runners. We also provided musculoskeletal ultrasound screenings for over 60 participants with our two portable ultrasound machines.

Mothers’ Day is Sunday, May 12th, and it is an annual reminder of the incredible role that mothers and maternal figures play in our lives.

Oftentimes, however, moms’ health takes a backseat to their loved ones’. But who benefits when the caregiver is not in the best shape to care for their loved ones? For mothers (and all caregivers), it is important to remember to take care of yourself all year. Here are some quick tips for moms and other caregivers to keep themselves in the best shape possible:

SEATTLE – On Saturday, April 13, 2013 an incident occurred involving a woman wearing a scrub top, who posed as an employee and entered two patient rooms on different clinical floors at Swedish/First Hill (747 Broadway, Seattle) and attempted to alter Patient-Controlled Analgesia pumps to obtain pain medication.

Surgery can be a stress and anxiety producing event for anyone, let alone a child. At Swedish, Child Life Specialists help children and families cope with the surgery process. Child Life Specialists are available to help educate and prepare children and families prior to surgery in our outpatient surgery center.

There are some things you can do as a parent to help better prepare yourself and your child for surgery before coming to the hospital:

Talk to your healthcare provider to educate yourself about the surgery process and what to expect.

Talk to your child in advance about their surgery in an honest, matter-of-fact manner. Younger children need to start hearing about their upcoming surgery 2-3 days prior to their visit. School age and teenage children can handle talking about their surgery a few weeks in advance. Using books and similar resources can be helpful in talking to your child about their surgery.

Throughout Swedish’s history, volunteers have played a major role in building and nurturing the atmosphere at Swedish that has made it a place where patients who come for advanced medical care also know they are among people who feel a compassionate concern for them and their families. For more than half a century, one very special group of volunteers has been instrumental in creating this patient-friendly environment: the Swedish Medical Center Auxiliary at First Hill.

This small group of volunteers is made up of eight dedicated board members and Swedish supporters, each of whom also donates an impressive amount of time and energy participating in voluntary activities at the First Hill campus. These activities range from patient reception, assistance, caring and support roles in the hospital to event participation and work in the gift shop.

From its beginnings--dating all the way back to the founding of Swedish Hospital--the Auxiliary has ...

There are many studies that show that the risks for getting multiple sclerosis (MS) vary according to the month a person is born. However, the differences between the months of birth are slight.

For example, a 2005 study of people with MS living in northern latitudes found that more people (9.1%) had a birthday in May and significantly less (8.5%) were born in November. The opposite pattern is seen in the southern hemisphere. Thus, worldwide there is a slight increase in MS risk in those born in the spring and a decrease in those born in the winter.

The cause of this has not been determined. Some ideas include differences in:

Vitamin intake during pregnancy (more folate in fresh vegetables in the spring, more vitamin D from sunlight in the summer)

Birth weight - Heavier babies born after summer and fall pregnancies

Exposure to viruses - More people experience viruses in spring and fall. This may affect the not only the viruses a baby is exposed to during pregnancy, but also after birth.